What Is the Concept of Barzakh or the “Intermediate Life” in Islam?
Answered by Shaykh Bassem Itani
Question
What is the concept of Barzakh or the “intermediate life” in Islamic belief?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.
Definition and Duration of Barzakh
The Barzakh (intermediate life) in Islamic belief refers to the unseen realm that exists between worldly life and the Hereafter. It begins as soon as a person dies, transitioning them to either the bliss or the torment of the grave, and lasts until the Day of Resurrection when all people are brought back to life. Allah says,
“And there is a barrier (barzakh) behind them until the Day they are resurrected.” [Quran, 23:100]
This intermediate life is part of the unseen and only experienced by those who have reached it, a journey we all inevitably face. Numerous authentic hadith have conveyed this concept, reaching a level of certainty, which is why there is a consensus among Muslims on believing in it as revealed knowledge (khabar yaqini). [See: Buti, Kubra al-Yaqiniyyat al-Kawniyya]
The Questioning and Experiences of the Grave
The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“When a servant is placed in his grave, and his companions depart, he hears their footsteps. Then two angels come to him, make him sit, and ask, ‘What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)?’ He will say, ‘I bear witness that he is Allah’s servant and messenger.’ Then it will be said to him, ‘Look at your place in Hell; Allah has exchanged it for a place in Paradise.’
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) added, ‘Then he will see both places.’ As for the disbeliever or hypocrite, he will say, ‘I do not know; I used to say what people said.’ It will be said, ‘You neither knew nor followed.’ Then he will be struck with an iron hammer, and he will cry out a cry that everyone near him will hear, except for humans and jinn.” [Bukhari]
Lessons from Punishment in the Grave
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) once passed by two graves and said,
“These two people are being punished, and they are not being punished for something major.” Then he added, “Yes, indeed, one of them never used to protect himself from his urine, while the other used to gossip.” He then took a fresh palm stalk, split it in two, and placed a piece on each grave. He was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?” He replied, “Perhaps their punishment may be lessened until they dry out.” [Bukhari]
Purpose of the Barzakh
The Barzakh serves profound purposes; it is the first station of the Hereafter, where divine mercy and beauty shine upon righteous believers who are blessed with tranquility, while divine justice manifests in the punishment of rebellious sinners and disbelievers through the torment of the grave.
[Shaykh] Bassem Itani
Shaykh Dr. Bassem Hussayn Itani was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies in 2005. Among his mentors were Shaykh Muhammad Taha Sukkar, Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, Shaykh Mulla Abdul ‘Alim al-Zinki, Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Dr. Mustafa Dib al-Bugha, Shaykh Dr. Wahba al-Zuhayli, Dr. Muhammad al-Zuhayli, and others, may Allah have mercy on them all.
Shaykh Itani has a rich background in both academic and administrative fields. He has held significant positions in many governmental and non-governmental institutions in Lebanon and abroad. This includes his role as a member of the Academic Committee at SeekersGuidance and a senior teacher with the free online global seminary.
From 2020 to 2021, he served as the Dean of the College of Da‘wa – University for Islamic Studies (Lebanon) – Postgraduate Studies. He was the Director of Dar Iqra for Islamic Sciences from 1998 to 2018. Shaykh Itani is a well-versed teacher in several academic subjects, including Fiqh, Usul, Aqida, and Tafsir. He has supervised and examined numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses at various universities and colleges in Lebanon.
His contributions to Islamic sciences are also evident in his writings and research. His notable works include “The Relied-upon Statements of Imam Zufar in the Hanafi School,” “Collective Ijtihad: The Sublimity of Thought in the 21st Century,” and “Custom and its Impact in Islamic Jurisprudence.” Shaykh Itani has actively participated in numerous scientific conferences and seminars, both in Lebanon and internationally. He is linguistically adept, excelling in Arabic, proficient in French, and comfortably conversant in English.
